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PRESS ROOM: 2019 MLK Celebration Award Recipients Announced

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The chief justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court, the chief executive officer of a community development fund, and an organization made up of South Carolina nonprofits will be honored with awards at the 47th Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration next week.

Published

7 years ago

January 20, 2019

Oakland Post

Charleston, S.C. – The chief justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court, the chief executive officer of a community development fund, and an organization made up of South Carolina nonprofits will be honored with awards at the 47^th Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration next week.

Chief Justice Donald W. Beatty will be honored with the Harvey Gantt Triumph Award at the MLK Ecumenical Service taking place at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 20 at Morris Street Baptist Church.

The Harvey Gantt Triumph Award for Lasting Contributions to Civil and Human Rights was established in 1984. It was named after its first recipient, architect and statesman Harvey B. Gantt, the first African American student to attend Clemson University. Previous Harvey Gantt Triumph Award recipients have included U.S. Representative John Lewis, a prominent leader of the civil rights movement in the South, and Senator Ted Kennedy, U.S. Representative James E. Clyburn, South Carolina Representative Lucille S. Whipper, renowned civil rights activist Septima P. Clark, and Esau Jenkins, a community organizer during the segregation era.

Chief Justice Beatty has served as the chief justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court since January 1, 2017. Previously, he served as an associate justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court and a trial judge for the South Carolina Court of Appeals and Circuit Court. Prior to that, he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives, where he served on the House Ethics Committee; Medical, Military, Public, and Municipal Affairs Committee; and Judiciary Committee, as well as serving as vice chair and chair-elect of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus.

Through the years he has regularly donated his time to serve nonprofits, appear at schools, and speak to youth groups. A military veteran and recipient of multiple awards, he holds a juris doctorate degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Michelle Mapp and Together SC will each be honored with the Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Vision Award

Michelle Mapp and Together SC will each be honored with the Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Vision Award at the MLK Business and Professional Breakfast taking place at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 22 at the Charleston Gaillard Center.

Named for Mayor Joe Riley, a highly respected and visionary leader who capped a 40-year career as mayor of Charleston on January 11, 2016, the Vision Award was created to carry on his legacy.

Ms. Mapp is the CEO of the South Carolina Community Loan Fund, a nonprofit community development financial institution that revitalizes communities throughout the state. In addition to a master’s degree in engineering management from George Washington University, she holds a master’s degree in public administration from the College of Charleston and the University of South Carolina. She has served on multiple business and nonprofit boards and is a Leadership Charleston alum. In 2017 and 2018, Charleston magazine named her one of “Charleston’s Most Influential,” in 2016 she received the Marjorie Amos-Frazier Pacesetter Award, and in 2012 she was an executive finalist for the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s “Influential Women in Business” list.

Together SC serves South Carolina’s nonprofit and philanthropic community. Through its member organizations, it aims to support and empower volunteer and professional leaders dedicated to community service, leadership, and caring.

Run by nonprofit leaders for nonprofit leaders, Together SC serves South Carolina’s nonprofit and philanthropic community. Through its member organizations, it aims to support and empower volunteer and professional leaders dedicated to community service, leadership, and caring. Formerly known as the South Carolina Association of Nonprofit Organizations, it began operating in 1997 with 67 charter member organizations. Today its statewide network includes more than 800 organizations whose diverse leaders believe in its vision of a united, trusted, and effective nonprofit community working to enrich the lives of all South Carolinians.

Attendance of the 2019 MLK Ecumenical Service is free and open to the public. Individual tickets to the 2019 MLK Business and Professional Breakfast were available to the public but have sold out. Doors will open at 7:00 a.m. and the breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m. More information about both of these events can be found at ywcagc.org.

ABOUT THE MLK CELEBRATION
The 47^th Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration is one of Charleston’s longest running events, predating Spoleto Festival USA and other well-known local events. The annual celebration was founded by YWCA Greater Charleston and first held in January 1972—one of the first such tributes to Dr. King in the nation. The MLK Business and Professional Breakfast was added in January 2000 in partnership with former Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. and the City of Charleston. Today the celebration is the largest tribute to Dr. King in South Carolina, attracting an estimated 30,000 celebrants each year.

ABOUT YWCA GREATER CHARLESTON
For 111 years, YWCA Greater Charleston has worked to eliminate racism and empower women in Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester Counties. A historic local association of YWCA USA, one of the oldest and largest multicultural women’s organizations in America, it seeks to create opportunities for personal growth, leadership, and economic development for women, girls, and people of color. Its annual 10-day Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration is one of Charleston’s longest running events. In 2017, YWCA Greater Charleston brought the Racial Equity Institute, an ongoing program, to Charleston to help local leaders understand and address racism in the community. And in 2018, YWCA Greater Charleston introduced What Women Bring, a power lunch attended by hundreds to celebrate and empower South Carolina’s women in business, community, and culture. For more information, visit ywcagc.org.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

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March 22, 2026

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Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

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2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC